Can handling tool



y 1939- v. L.STATHEM 2,165,159

CAN HANDLING TOOL Filed Sept. 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l lllll l l I 1 J7. y /4 4P i /2 l 7 z 2 45' Z grime/whoa Viofrialhem July 1939- v. L. STATHEM 2,165,159

CAN HANDLING TOOL Filed Sept. 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/whoa,

VSL Zalhem Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT creme 1 Claim.

opening therein, grasping the can by the rim to facilitate handling and, where the can is of the type having a pressed in lid, the tool is adapted to the easy and quick removal of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of implement of the character above described in which novel means is provided for firmly attaching the instrument to the flange of a can so as to make of the instrument a fixed handle by which the can may be manipulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel can grasping implement which is adapted to be of particular use in handling cans in preserving, whereby the cans may be introduced into or removed from a kettle or other receptacle in which they may be placed for the purpose of heating the contents.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel compound implement adapted to the above described uses, which is of unique formation and which may be easily and economically constructed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed descrip tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the preferred form of the implement embodying the present invention, the same being shown as applied to the flange of a can.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the implement.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of the implement with which is combined a bottle cap remover and can top cutting blade.

Fig. 5 is a view in top plan of the implement shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a further modification in which the handles of the implement are so disposed as to facilitate use of the implement inv canning.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1 particularly that the implement embodying the present invention consists of the body portion indicated generally by the numeral I and the lever unit indicated generally by the numeral 2 and pivotally attached to the body portion. The implement as a whole is preferably formed of heavy weight band steel and the body portion 5 comprises a single piece of such material which is bent intermediate its ends so as to form a handle I consisting of the two spaced parallel portions 3. These handle portions 3 are slightly arcuately formed adjacent their free ends to form the heads 4 and each head terminates in the laterally extending fixed jaw 5. This jaw, as shown, is extended from the inner side of the curved extended portions or heads of the handle portions 3 and is adapted to engage the inner side of a can fiange, when the implement is in use.

The lever portion or unit of the implement which is indicated generally by the numeral 2 comprises a relatively long straight part 6 which at one end merges into a curved neck i which in turn merges into the relatively long punch point 8. The curved or neck portion. l of the lever passes between the head ends 4 of the body I and is pivotally attached to the same by the rivet 9. The neck 7 is curved or bent in the samle general direction as the ends of the portions 3 of the handle so that the tapered pointed end of the punch 8 extends in the same direction as the jaw 5 and the parts are so related that the punch has the straight forward edge ill thereof adapted to be located substantially in alinement with the inner face ll of the jaw 5 when the implement is used for the purpose of gripping the flange of a can so that the implement may serve as a handle therefor. As illustrated, the inner end of the point 8 has a shoulder l2 which is adjacent the convex edge of the neck 1 and the point It resulting from the formation of this shoulder is designed to coact with the jaw 5 in gripping the flange of a can.

The handle l of the body is provided adjacent the rear end thereof with the pivoted loop I l and this is designed to swing over the notched area l5 formed along the outer edge of the portion 6 of the lever adjacent the rear end of the latter so as to hold the lever in a desired position. This free rear end of the portion 6 of the lever may also be formed, as indicated at Hi, to provide a screw driver.

The punch point 8 of the implenrien is designed to facilitate forming a drain opening on cans of the character in which motor vehicle oil is marketed so that the contents of such cans may be readily obtained and it will be readily apparent that the manner of using this point is to place the tip of the same upon the top of the can adjacent the fiange and then. strike the implement with the palm of the hand so as to drive the point through the top and thus form a sufiiciently large opening to permit the contents to be drained out.

When the implement is to be used as a means for handling a can, the lever B is oscillated so as to separate the jaw 5 from the point l6 of the shoulder l2, 'which shoulder forms a movable jaw, and the handle jaw is then located against the inner side of thecan flange, as illustrated in Fig. l, and by reversely oscillating the lever, the point I3 is then brought back into engagement with the underside of the flange and upon the outer side thereof. Thestraight edge I9 of the point will then lie against the outer face of the can and by forcing the jaws together, a tight It will be seen that by providing the body I as well as the lever 2 with the curved forward ends, the implement when attached to a can in the manner shown, will form a handle extendingdownwardly and outwardly from the side of the can.

In themodified form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the body of the implement is indicated generally by the numeral l1 and while it is preferably formed in the two parallel portions I8 which are connected together at one end, as illustrated in Fig. 5, it is straight throughout instead of being curved at its forward end and at the forward end each of the portions l8 has a laterally extending bill or jaw corresponding to the jaw 5 of the first form. The lever of this form which is indicated by the numeral as, has a penetrating point 2| and shoulder 22 corresponding with the parts of the first form but the point 2| extends at sub- 'stantially right angles to the length of the lever 20, as illustrated, so that when the lever is oscillated upon the pivot 23 to a position where the latch ring 24 may engage the notched edge 25, the

shoulder'or movable jaw 22 will be in the same relation with the fixed jaw as in the first form.

In addition to modifying the shape of the body and lever, the form illustrated in Fig. 4 is provided at the rear end of the body with a bottle cap removing hook 26 and a can top cutting blade 21. Both of these units work in cooperation with the adjacentend of the body as, for example, when the hook 26 is employed for removing a bottle cap, the adjacent end of the handle will engage the top of the cap, and when the blade 21 is employed for cutting the top from the can, the adjacent end of the handle will engage the top edge of the can flange to provide a fulcrum for the blade.

In Fig. 6, a further modification is illustrated. In this form, the body, indicated as a whole by the numeral 28, is formed of a single piece of material bent to provide the spaced side portions as in the other forms but at its forward end the body body is disposed at the center of this short portion and the punch point 34 is offset from the plane of the main portion of the lever which is 7 oscillatable between the sides of the body 28 so that the parts of this point, which are the same as in the previously described forms. may coact in the same manner with the jaw 30 as in the other forms and at the same time, the lever may be secured in adjusted position between the sides of the body 28 by the retaining ring 35. In this last modification it will be seen that the punch point 34 and the jaw 30 are directedoppositely from the ends of the body 28 and lever 33 and thus when the jaws are in engagement with the flange of a can or with the edge of a glass jar, the handle of the implement will be directed upwardly and outwardly from the top of the receptable so that the latter may be conveniently handled without danger of receiving burns from the steam of any hot substance which may be therein and in addition, the receptacle may be put into or removed from any other receptacle. It will thus be seen that this latter form 'of the implement is particularly adaptable to use in can'- ning operations where hot cans or jars must be handled and must be put into and removed from receptacles containing hot water in which the contents of the can or jar are cooked.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there is herein disclosed an implement of novel construction which is designed to handle cans or jars in a unique manner and which is also so formed that it may be fixed to a can or jar to form a more or less permanent handle therefor. In addition to the punch point serving as a convenient means for forming a drain opening in a can top, it constitutes abrace means for engagement with the side wall of the can when the can fiange is gripped between the jaws, in

addition also to providing a movable jaw for use lifting the lid from the body having a short jaw integral with and. ex-

tending perpendicularly from one edge at one end thereof, the said jaw having a gripping face on the side remote from the adjacent end of the body and perpendicular to the adjacent portion of the body, a lever unit consisting of a length of fiat material disposed against the body and having a bend therein adjacent one end to form-a terminal portion extending across the body adjacent the jaw, a pivot pin passing through'said body and through said lever unit in the bend of the latter, the portion of the lever between the bend and the adjacent end being relatively long and having a shoulder formed in the edge nearest the jaw and directed toward the same for coaction therewith, the gripping edges of the jaw and shoulder being in vertically spaced relation whereby the jaw and shoulder may cooperate to grip a can'flange the said edge of the lever from the shoulder to the adjacent end extending obliquely across the length of the said portion to provide a body engaging surface which is parallel with but offset from the jaw gripping face when the jaw and shoulder are in gripping relation.

VEREAU L. STATHEM. 

